Push-button mechanism.



F. H. MASON, DECD.

m. H. MASON. c. A BARTLESON 1 n. n. GILL, :xscuroas.

PUSH BUTTON MECHANISM.

APPLICATION man ocr. l4, m2.

Patented July 13, 1915.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERIC H. MASON, 0F SPOKANE, WASHINGTON; MOLLIE H. MASON, G. A. BARTLESON,

AND ROY R. GILL EXECUTORS OF SAID FREDERIC H. MASON, DECEASED.

PUSH-BUTTON MECHANISM.

1,146,010. 0rig'inal application filed January 24,

7 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Fnnonnio H. MASON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of lVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Push- Button Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

=My invention relates to an improved push button mechanism adapted to the operation of devices of various sorts and is shown and described herein for purposes of illustration as applied to the actuation of a valve, the details of the latter forming no part of the present invention but constituting the subject matter of my application Serial No. 539,735, of which this is a division.

The object of the invention is the provision of a push button mechanism wherein when the button is depressed one of the elements of the mechanism will be actuated in a contrary direction against the tension of the spring, the latter acting when pressure from the button is removed to return the parts to their normal position.

My improved push button mechanism has a wide range of useful adaptation, as for instance,,in the actuation of latches and bolts and the tumblers of locks; also as a stop for the moving carriages of writing machines, printing presses and type setting machines, the initial movement of the button releasing fluid or other pressure to act as a cushioning means; also in many other relations which will suggest themselves to the mechanic, it not being my intention to limit my invention, which is of general application, to employment in the. particular connection in which it is hereinafter described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which latter,

Figure 1 is a central vertical section through an embodiment of the invention associated with a pressure fluid'valve; Fig. 2 is a similar fragmentary section showing the parts in another position; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1: and Fig. 4 is a detailviw in perspective showing the under side of one of the fulcrumed elements entering into the invention.

The embodiment of the invention as illustrated comprises a push button 11 recessed at 12 upon its lower face the lower terminal Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 13, 1915.

portion of the button being laterally enlarged at 13 and provided with :1 depending peripheral flange 14; also a plunger member having a stem 15 with the lower terminal portion enlarged at 16 and provided with a depending peripheral flange 17, the upper terminal portion of the plunger formed as a disk 18 separated from the remainder of the stem 15 by a reduced portion 19.

The button 11 is guided for vertical reciprocation within a cap 20, the upper movement of the same being limited by the engagement between the enlargement 13 and the overhanging portion of the cap 20. The plunger is similarly guided for reciprocation in line with the button 11 within the body portion 21 of the housing which comprises said body portion and said cap, the two portions being threaded one upon the other at 22. The upper movement of the plunger within the housing is limited by the engagement of the lateral enlargement 16 with the overhanging portion of the housing and it is yieldingly pressed downward by the coil spring 23 which encircles the stem of the plunger and bears upwardly upon the housing and downwardly upon a shoulder of the plunger.

It will be observed that between the opposed faces of the cap and body of the h0using there is formed a chamber 24, the upper portion of the chamber containing the lower portion of the button and the lower portion of the chamber containing the upper portion of the plunger stem the disk carried by the latter being disposed slightly above the bottom of said chamber. Within the chamber 24 and between the button and plunger are arranged two or more segmental while the inner edge of each segment is disposed beneath the disk 18 of the-plunger, being hollowed out at 27 to fit about the reduced portion 19.

It will be readily understood that as the button 11 is depressed the flange 14 presses downwardly upon the outer edge of the segments causing each of said segments to rock upon its fulcrum 26 and thereby to elevate its inner edge liftingetherewith the plunger against the tension of the spring 23, t e parts assuming the position shown in F 1g. 2; and upon the release of the button 11 the tension of the spring 23 will depress the plunger and thereby simultaneously elevate the button restoring the parts to their normal position.

The mechanism described isherein shown as employed in the operation of a fluid pressure valve, the detailed construction of which forming no part of the present invention will be described in general terms only. The valve shown comprises a casing 30 and a connection 31, the latter providing an inlet 32 through a screen 33 to an interior chamber 34 connected by a channel 35 with an annular chamber, 36, centrally arranged within which latter is the entrance to a discharge passage 37 leading to the faucet 38. The entrance to the passage 37 is controlled by a valve member 39 seated thereon, which valve member is upwardly cupped to provide between said member and the stationary member 40 an interior pressure chamber 41 which is in communication by means of the orifice 42 with the annular chamber 36 and which is also in communication by the vent 48 with an upper chamber 44, the latter chamber being in open communication through the passage with the discharge passage 37. The pressure exerted by the fluid upon the inlet side of the valve 39, and which pressure is sustained from the source of supply through the orifice 42,

serves to maintain the valve 39 in its closed position until such time as the push button 11 is operated to lift the plunger so as to open the vent 43 and permit the fluid contained within the chamber 41 to flow through the vent 43 and the passage 45 to the dis- I charge thus relieving the pressure within the chamber 41 and permitting the excess pressure upon the lower side of the valve to lift the same from its seat, such relief being rendered possible by the excess capacity of the vent 43 and the passage 45 over that of the orifice 42. i

As previously stated, my improved push button mechanism is of diversified usefulness and the particular conformation and arrangement of the parts is subject to modification within a wide range in order to adapt the. same to other particular forms of mechanism in connection with which it may be used, wherefore the illustration and de' scription of this particular embodiment is not to be construed in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a valve construction of the character described, the combination of a plunger, a

, plunger and a push button slidably mounted therein in spaced alinement, a valve connected to and operated by said plunger, and

a pair of fulcrumed segments disposed about the plunger beneath the button, each of said segments being engaged at one side of its fulcrum by the button and at the other side engaging the plunger, substantially as described. I

3. In a valve construction of the character described, the combination of a housing, a plunger and a push button slidably mounted therein in spaced al inement, a valve con-H nected to and operated by said plunger, and a pair of fulcrumed segments disposed about the plunger beneath the button, each of said segments being engaged at one side of its fulcrum by the button and at the other side engaging the plunger, and a spring disposed within the housing pressing the p unger in a direction away from the button, substantially as described.

4. In a valve construction of the character described, a housing having an interior chamber, a push button slidably mounted within the housing and having an enlarged portion disposed within the chamber, a plunger slidably mounted within the housing in alinement with the button, a valve operated by said plunger, a spring pressing the plunger away from the button, and a pair of fulcrumed segments disposed within the chamber and each engaging at one side 1 V of its fulcrum beneath an overhanging part of the plunger and at the other side of its fulcrum beneath the button, whereby a depression of the button Will rock the fulcrumed segments and lift the plunger against the tension of the spring, the spring tending to restore the parts to normal position when the button'is released, substantially as described.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a valve, and means to slide said valve, including a push-button and a pair of fulcrumed wings, the pushbutton being mounted to engage both wings beyond their fulcrums and the valve stem being engaged by' the two wings between the fulcrums, substantially as described.

' 6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a slidable valve, a spring acting on said valve to slide the same in one direction, a pair of fulcrumed wings mounted on opposite sides of and operatively associated with said valve, and a push button coiiperating with said wings to' rock the same on their fu-lcrums and move said valve in opposition to the action of sald spring, substantially as described.

'7. In a device of the character described, the combination with a housing of a slidable valve having an undercut stem, a pair of wings engaging the undercut portion of said stem, said wings comprising plates having each a fulcrum rib upon its lower face arranged to bear upon the housing on opposite sides of the valve stem, and a push button having means to engage said wings at a point on the side of said fulcrum rib remote from the undercut part of the stem, substantially as described.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of a slidable springpressed valve having anundercut shank, a

plurality of wings coiiperating with the undercut portion of said shank and each having a fulcrum rib, an abutment against which said fulcrum ribs are adapted to bear, and a sliding push button having a flange cooperating with the portions of said wings on the sides of their fulcrum ribs opposite the undercut valve shank, whereby movement of the push button rocks the wings on their fulcrums and the latter slide the valve, substantially as described.

9. In a device of the character specified, the combination of a valve casing, a selfclosing valve operating mechanism, comprising a housing adapted to fasten thereon, said housing being inwardly recessed and bored for a valve stem and coil spring, outwardly recessed for segmental fulcrumed wings, and screw threaded for a cap, said cap being bored to receive a push button, said valve stem being undercut and carrya ing a valve comprising one enlarged end of the stem having packing secured thereto by a threaded housing ring, a coil spring adapted to freely fit said coil spring bore around said valve stem, one end of same bearing against the end of said bore, the other against said valve stem, two segmental wings fulcrumed on one surface and engaged in the undercut of the valve stem, and a push button, one end of which is enlarged and flanged so as to bear against extremities of said fulcrumed segmental wings upon sides thereof opposite to said fulcrums, said parts so arranged that when in normal position said push button will be substantially flush with said cap on said housing, and said packing attached to said valve stem will press against and close a passage through said casing, and as said push button is depressed said packing will be raised or moved ll]. opposition to the movement of Copies of this patent may be obtained for said push button, all substantially as described.

10. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a valve casing, a selfclosing opposition moving valve and connecting push button, a closure for the valve" casing, a cap for said closure, packing, a housing ring securing said packing to sa d valve, a coil spring tending to seat said valve, two segmental wings, each fulcrumed' on one surface, so arranged that when the movable parts are in normal position the packing attached to said valve will press against and close the passage through said member both mounted to reciprocate in the housing in 0 position to and in alinement with each ot er, a valve actuated by said operating member, and a pair of'fulcrumed .wings mounted within the housing between the adjacent ends of the reciprocating members, the end of the push button member bearing upon the wings at one side of their fulcrums and the end of the operating member engaged by the wings on the opposite side of their fulcrums, whereby as the push button is moved in one direction the operat ing member is simultaneously moved in the opposite direction, substantially as described.

, 12. In a valve construction of the character described, the combination of a housing, a push button member provided with a terminal longitudinally projecting flange and mounted to reciprocate in the housing, an operating stem having an under-cut head and mounted to reciprocate in the housing in alinement with the push button, a valve actuated by said stem, and a pair of fulcrumed segments mounted within the housing between the adjacent ends of the push button and stem, the terminal flange of the I push button bearing upon the margin of the wings at the outside of the fulcrums and the inner edges of the segments engaging beneath the undercut head of the stem on the inner side of the fulcrums, whereby as the push button is moved in one direction the stem is simultaneously moved in an opposite direction, substantially as described.

, FREDERIC H. MASON. Witnesses:

ROY It. GIL

F. JQFINNLAND.

five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner (vi-Patents,

Washingtomhd. a 

